On July 28, 2021, the Alabama Supreme Court issued Administrative Order No. 12, which extended its previous orders concerning workers’ compensation settlements.
This means that the following rules will be in effect through October 29, 2021:
1. Any workers’ compensation settlement hearing in any court may be conducted telephonically or by videoconferencing.
2. Any workers’ compensation settlement may be approved by an ombudsman of the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) or by a circuit judge. If a workers’
compensation case pending in court is settled with written approval of an ombudsman from the ADOL, that settlement shall result in the dismissal of
the workers’ compensation claim pending in court.